Cardboard disintegrating apparatus



Nov. 19, 1963 N. A. PIERSON 3,111,248

CARDBOARD DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 115A 4 fm;

IN V EN TOR. 80 8 52 Noe/MA N A, P/E-E 50H Nov. 19, 1963 N. A. PIERSON3,111,248

CARDBOARD DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2llw IN V EN T0 8- A/aQMA/v A, PfEQSQN A TTOPNE'Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 N. A.PIERSON CARDBOARD DISINTEGRATING APPARATUS F'IGL-E FfEi-[Z Nov. 19, 1963Filed June 20, 1960 60b em Hi L L, 5

INVENTOR. NORMAN A, Pie-250m BY f7? Arroe/vev United States Patent 3 111248 CARDBOARD nrsnnrnnarmo APPARATUS Norman A. Pierson, Norman, Okla,assignor to Natnrizer (30., Norman, Okla, a corporation of OklahomaFiled June 20, 19643, Ser. No. 37,272 14 Claims. (Ci. 225-93) Thisinvention relates to apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and thelike. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this inventionrelates to a device for reducing cardboard sheets and boxes to flake orchip form.

*Devices such as hammer mills and related apparatus for pulverizing ordisintegrating fibrous materials and the like have long been known andare widely used for a variety of purposes. One application for whichdisintegrating devices are suited is the reclamation of old or usedcardboard. Old cardboard or pas-teboard may be reprocessed by cardboardmanufacturers to make new articles and therefore the cast-0E or damagedsheets or boxes of cardboard retain a value in excess of that arisingfrom any possible use of the worn or damaged original articles.

Cardboard salvage dealers must, however, reduce the bulk of the old anddamaged cardboard containers to a size sufiicient to permit them to becheaply shipped to the site of reprocessing. It is also necessary thatthe cardboard sheets and boxes be converted to a form which will permitthe cardboard to be easily packaged or baled for such shipment and whichis also a form adapted to the reprocessing treatment. I have found thata form of the cardboard which meets both these requirements is that ofchips or flakes. Relatively uniformly sized chips of cardboard are welladapted to the reprocessing treatment and less waste is incurred in thebaling of such chips than is the case with such forms as strips orshreds.

The grinding or shredding action of existing mills is capable ofreducing bulk cardboard to strips of varying dimension and configurationbut such strips cannot be baled nearly so eificiently or economically aschips or flakes. Moreover, jamming or blockage tends to occur in suchmills after a relatively short period of operation, resulting intime-consuming and expensive shutdowns necessary to clear the block.Also, mills which utilize rapidly rotating hammers to strike and rip ortear materials have previously required fairly frequent overhaul andmaintenance due to considerable vibration developed in such machinesduring operation, and also due to stress in the machinery arising fromthe very great centrifugal forces developed by the heavy, rapidlyrotating hammers.

The present invention contemplates an apparatus for disintegrating bulkcardboard to chip or flake form which is characterized in havingcooperating blades and hammers. The hammers are mounted upon a verysturdy rotating framework and are themselves of relatively light andcompact construction so that the centrifugal force imparted to thecentral shafting of the rotating mechanism is maintained within safelimits. The rotating framework which carries the hammers is designed topositively block or prevent the ingress of cardboard thereto, thusavoiding jamming or stalling of the moving parts. Additionally, the feedand discharge chutes conveying the cardboard to and from thedisintegrating mechanism are oriented with respect to the cooperatingblades and hammers so that positive gravitational forces constantlyprevent the accumulation of cardboard at any point in the apparatus.

The present invention further contemplates a bulk cardboarddisintegrating apparatus in which the disintegration is accomplished bystripper blades and rotating hammers which are arranged to cooperatewith each other so as 3,1 1 1,248 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 to quickly andsubstantially completely convert cardboard sheets and boxes into chip orflake form. A triple shredding action occurs in which the bulk'cardboard is first subjected to a shearing and cutting action betweenthe hammers and one set of stripper blades to slit the bulk cardboard.The slit cardboard is then subjected to a chipping or flaking actionbetween the hammers and a second set of stripper blades wherein theinitial disintegration is accomplished. A third row or set of stripperblades cooperates with the rotating hammers to effect finaldisintegration.

In a modified embodiment of the present invention, L-shaped hammers maybe utilized in conjunction with a single row of stripper blades toachieve substantial disintegration of the cardboard to chip form. Theinvention is also characterized in having a helical auger-conveyor whichquickly removes the cardboard chips from the disintegrating apparatusand transports them to a baling unit for baling prior to shipment.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cardboard disintegratingapparatus which is designed to obviate the accumulation of cardboard inor adjacent moving parts and thereby to avoid clogging or blockage ofthe apparatus requiring cessation of the disintegrating operations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cardboarddisintegrating apparatus which is capable of quickly and efficientlyreducing large cardboard sheets or boxes to chips or flakes ofcardboard.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cardboarddisintegrator which is ruggedly constructed for high-speed operationwith a minimum of vibrational stress imparted to the structure.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a cardboarddisintegrating apparatus for use in combination with a cardboard baler.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact cardboardshredding apparatus which is relatively simple in construction,inexpensive to manufacture and characterized by a long and trouble-freeservice life.

Other objects and advantages will be evident from the following detaileddescription, when read in conjunction with the acompanying drawingswhich illustrate my invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the cardboard disintegrating apparatus of thepresent invention as it is associated with a cardboard baling unit. Aportion of the housing of the disintegrating apparatus has been brokenaway to show the auger-type conveyor which is utilized to convey theflaked cardboard from the cardboard disintegrator to the baling unit.

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation of the cardboard disintegratingapparatus of the present invention with one side of the housing removedto illustrate the relative arrangement of parts therein.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view in section taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative arrangement of thestripper blades and hammers utilized in a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIGURE 6 is a detail illustrating in elevation one of the stripperblades.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the stripper blade shown in FIG. 6.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational detail view with parts broken away to showthe manner in which one of the hammers is mounted in a preferredembodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a sheet of cardboard showing the way in whichthe cardboard is cut and flaked by the invention.

FIGURE is a view in elevation of a different type of hammer and itsmounting employed in modified embodiments of the present invention.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which hammers ofthe type illustrated in FIG. 10 cooperate with a single row of stripperblades in one modified embodiment of the present invention. 1

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which hammers ofthe type illustrated in FIG. 10 cooperate with two rows of stripperblades in another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, referencenumeral 1-0 generally designates a housing enclosing the cardboarddisintegrating apparatus of the present invention. A feed chute 11originates at one end 12 of the housing 10 and leads to thedisintegrating mechanism located inside the housing. At the opposite end14- of the housing 10, an auger-type conveyor 16 having helical threads18 extends transversely across the housing and into a baling unit 26. Amotor 22 is mounted on the top of the housing 10 and is utilized todrive the cardboard disintegrating mechanism located therein.

FIG. 2 shows the disintegrating apparatus of the invention as it may beviewed from the side by removing one side of the housing 10. A portionof the framework supporting the housing is designated by referencenumeral 23. As previously indicated, the feed chute 11 originates at oneend 12 of the housing 16 and slopes inwardly and downwardly toward thebottom of the housing. At its internal end 25 the feed chute 11 isconnected to one side of a horizontal drum 26 so that the feed chute 11communicates radially with the interior of the drum. To assure aslightly radial feed of the cardboard to the drum 26, as opposed to astrictly tangential feed, the feed chute 11 has an inclined step 27a onits bottom wall 27 near its' internal end 25.

A horizontal shaft 28 passes coaxially through the drum 26 and throughbushings (not shown) in the ends.

of the drum for rotation therein. A cylindrical framework designatedgenerally by reference character 3%) is disposed inside the drum 26 andis keyed to the shaft 28 for rotation therewith. The cylindricalframework 30' carries a plurality of rotatably-mounted hammers 32 incircumferentially-spaced relation around its periphery. The diameter ofthe cylindrical framework 39 is such that the hammers 32 will clear thewalls of the drum 26 when the framework and its supporting shaft 23 arerotated in the drum.

Three rows 34a, 34b and 34c of stripper blades 34 (see FIG. 4) aremounted upon a plate 35 which is bolted to the wall of the drum 26 atits lower side. The stripper blades 34 pass through apertures in thewall of the drum 26 and project upwardly and inwardly into the drum.

Each of the rows 34a, 34b and 340 of blades 34 extends substantiallyparallel to the shaft 28.

A discharge chute 36 (FIG. 2) is connected to the opposite side of thedrum 26 from that to which the feed chute 11 is connected. The dischargechute 36 is characterized by a lower or bottom wall 38 which extendsgenerally upward and away from the drum 26 for a short portion 40 of itslength and then extends downwardly for the remaining portion 42 of itslength. At its end opposite that which communicates with the interior ofthe drum 26, the discharge chute 36 opens into a trough 44 in which theauger-type conveyor 16 having helical threads 18 is mounted.

The cylindrical framework 30 which is mounted in drum 26 for rotationwith shaft 28 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3, which is a sectionalview taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2. The generally cylindrical framework30 comprises a pair of circular end plates 46 which are coam'allysecured or keyed to the shaft 23. A large tubular member 48 coaxiallysurrounds the shaft 28 and is located between the circular end plates46. Four elongated bolts 50 pass at each of their ends through the endplates 46 and extend inside the tubular member 48 throughout its length.The bolts 50 are located closely adjacent the periphery of the tubularmember 48 so as to bear against the inner wall (not seen) thereof. Thebolts 50 are threaded adjacent their ends and carry nuts 52 which may betightened to hold the tubular member 48 firmly between the end plates46.

A plurality of circular intermediate plates 54 having a central apertureof suflicient size to slidingly accommodate the tubular member 43 aredisposed between the end plates 56 in spaced relation therefrom and fromeach other. The intermediate plates 54 are substantially equal indiameter to the end plates 46. Four elongated bolts 56 extend parallelto the shaft 28 through the end plates 46 and through the intermediateplates 54 at points near their peripheries. Each of the bolts 56 isthreaded adjacent its ends and carries a nut 58 at each of its ends. Thefour elongated bolts 56 are equally spaced from each other around theperiphery of the plates 46 and 54 in the manner most clearly illustratedin FIG. 4.

The manner in which the hammers 32 are mounted for rotation upon thebolts 56 is depicted in FIG. 8. In referring to FIG. 8, it will beperceived that the bolts 56 pass through the circular plates 54 adjacenttheir peripheral edges and that each bolt carries a sleeve 59 which iscoaxially and slidably mounted thereon and which serves to spaceadjacent plates 54 from each other. When the nuts 58 are tightened, theplates 54 are forced against the ends of the sleeves 59. Coaxiallymounted on each of the sleeves 59 for rotation thereabout is a shortlength of pipe or tubular member 6i). The tubular member 60 is ofshorter length than the sleeve 59 so that it is free to rotate about thesleeve without binding against the circular plates 54. The bar-shapedhammer 32 is secured at one of its ends 32a to an end portion 60a of thetubular member 60 for rotation therewith about the sleeve 59. A seriesof the hammers 32 are thus mounted between adjacent pairs of the plates54 along the length of each of the bolts 56. As shown in FIG. 3, all ofthe hammers 32 which are carried by one of the bolts 56 are secured tothe opposite end portion 60a of their respective tubular members 6t?from the end portion to which the hammers carried by the next adjacentbolt 56 are secured. In other words, the hammers 32 carried by adjacentbolts 56 are axially offset from each other, while the hammers carriedby every other bolt 56 are axially aligned with each other.

A third set of bolts 66 extends parallel to the shaft 28 through the endplates 46 and through intermediate plates 54. Each of the bolts 66 isset radially inward in the plates 4-6 and 54 from the bolts 56 and isequally spaced from the nearest adjacent pair of the peripheral bolts56. The bolts 66 are threaded at their ends similarly to the bolts 56,and carry nuts 68. A plurality of tubular spacing members iii aremounted co-axially upon each of the bolts 66 and are equal in length tothe sleeves 59- carried by the bolts 56. The function of the tubularspacing members 76 in maintaining the spacing and rigidity of thecircular plates 54 and the end plates 46 is the same as is the functionof the spacing members 59.

Since the cylindrical framework 39 and its coaxial shaft 28 are depictedin their at-rest status in FIGS. 3 and 4, the peripheral hammers 32 haveassumed the downwardly extending position there shown. However, it willbe apparent that when the shaft 28 and its associated cylindricalframework 313 are rotated at high speeds, the hammers 32 will extendoutwardly from the periphery of the cylindrical framework 30 under theinfluence of centrifugal force. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the hammers 32 whichare located adjacent the bottom of the drum 26 extend outwardly from theframework 30 under the influence ofgravity. This is the same positionwhich is occupied by the hammers 32 as they pass over the bottom of thedrum s,iii,24.s

26 during high-speed rotation of shaft 28. Thus, the relationship of thehammers 32 to the three rows 34a, 34b and 240 of stripper blades 34 maybest be understood by referring to these figures in conjunction withFIG. 5. It will be seen that the hammers 32 are offset axially withrespect to each of the stripper blades 34 in the three rows 34a, 34b and34c. The stripper blades 34 of the first row 34a are ofiset axially withrespect to the stripper blades of the second row 34b. The blades 34 ofthe third row 340 are axially aligned with the blades in the first row34a and are therefore axially offset with respect to the blades in themiddle or second row 34b by the same amount as the first row of blades.This relationship is most clearly depicted in FIG. 5, where the hammers32 carried by the first bolt 56 to pass over the blades 34 arerepresented by solid line rectangles while the projected position ofthose hammers carried by the next adjacent bolt 56 on the cylindricalframework 30 is represented by dashed line rectangles.

As shown in FIG. 4, the leading row 34a of stripper blades 34, which islocated closer to the feed chute 11 than are the second and third rows34b and 34c, is also located more closely adjacent the vertical planewhich passes through and includes the shaft 28. The purpose of thisarrangement will be more fully explained at a subsequent point in thespecification.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are detail views illustrating the construction andparticular configuration of the stripper blades 34. Each of the bladesis a flat plate of right trapezoidal configuration, the longest side ofwhich is beveled or sharpened to an edge 34d. Referring again to FIGS. 4and 5, it will be perceived that the stripper blades 34 are mounted atthe lower side of drum 26 with the longer of their two parallel sidessecured to the concave plate 35 and their sharpened edges 34d facingtoward the feed chute 11. The relative arrangement of the stripperblades 34 is such that the sharpened edges 34d of the blades in thefirst and third rows, 34a and 340, respectively, are beveled toward theopposite end of the drum 26 from that toward which the blades in thesecond row 34b are beveled.

The way in which a fiat sheet of cardboard is believed to bedisintegrated by the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 9. Thesheet of cardboard 72 is first slit along the solid lines 74 by theaction of the blades 34 located in the first row 34a. The dashed lines76 represent slits which are made by the blades 34 of the second row34b. Dashed lines 78 represent the transverse shear slits which areproduced when the hammers strike the cardboard just in advance of thesecond row 34b of blades 34.

A different type of hammer 86" which is utilized in modified embodimentsof the invention is illustrated in FIG. 10. Each hammer 80 is L-shapedand is secured at one end 80a to the end portion 6% of one of thetubular members 60. Also, each of the L-shaped hammers 88 has a footportion 86b which extends parallel to the shaft 28. I In a modifiedembodiment of the present invention, the L-shaped hammers '80 upon eachbolt 56 are axially aligned with the hammers secured to the other threebolts 56 spaced around the periphery of the framework. This differs fromthe axial ofiset of the hammers 32 on adjoining bolts 56 in thepreferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3. Also, in such modified embodimentonly a single row 34a of stripper blades is employed, and the footportion 89b of each hammer is of a size to extend from one of the blades34 in row 34a nearly to the next adjacent blade 34 in that row. Thisrelationship is illustrated in FIG. 11. The foot portions 801) of thehammers 8d are illustrated as solid line rectangles. Since the hammers80 on any one bolt 55 follow the path of the hammers located on theother bolts 56, their positions will be coincident with the hammerposition shown in FIG. 11 as they pass through the single row 34a ofstripper blades 34.

The L-shaped hammers 80 which are illustrated in FIG. may also beutilized in a further modified embodiment of the present invention. Thisfurther modification comprises axially offsetting the hammers which aremounted on adjacent bolts 56 in the same way that the bar-shaped hammers.32 are offset in FIG. 3. The foot portions 80b of each row of hammers80 extend in a direction opposite to the direction of extension of thefoot portions of the next adjacent row of hammers. Moreover, the lengthof each of the foot portions 8% is such that the hammers can pass freelythrough two rows 34a and 34b of blades 34 which are axially offset fromeach other in the manner illustrated in FIG. 12. It will be apparentthat in the modified embodiment under discussion, the arrangement of thehammers 80 and blades 34 is identical to the arrangement of the hammerand the rows 34a, 34b and 340 of blades 34 which is depicted in FIG. 5,except that the hammers 80 are L-shaped and have foot portions 80b andthe third row of blades 340 is omitted. This similarity will be manifestfrom a comparison of FIGS. 5 and 12.

Operation To commence the operation of the cardboard disintegratingapparatus of the present invention, the electric motor 22 is energized.The shaft 28 is driven in rotation by a belt or chain (not shown)linking the shaft to the electric motor 22. As the shaft rotates, thegenerally cylindrical framework 31} is also caused to rotate inside thedrum 26. When the operating speed of rotation of the shaft 23 and itsassociated framework 36 has been reached, an operator standing adjacentthe end 12 of the housing It} commences to introduce cardboard slabs andboxes into the feed chute 11. The cardboard moves downwardly in the feedchute 11 under the influence of gravity and passes through the outlet ofthe feed chute 11 to enter the drum 26. When the cylindrical frameworkhas een brought up to operating speed, the hammers 32 which arerotatably mounted on the periphery of the framework 39 are extendedoutwardly from the periphery of the framework under the influence ofcentrifugal force, as previously mentioned in the description of thehammers and framework. Just prior to entering the drum 26 from the feedchute 11, the cardboard is deflected into the path of the hammers 32 bythe inclined step 27a on the bottom wall 27 of the feed chute 11.

As the cardboard enters the drum 26, it is forcibly contacted by thehammers 32 carried by the rotating framework 3ti. The force of impactbetween the hammers 32 and the cardboard which has entered the drum 26is very great and the cardboard is crumpled and flattened to a largeextent by the blows of the rotating hammers. Since the framework '30 andits associated hammers 52 are rotated in a clockwise direction as viewedin FIGS. 2 and 4, the cardboard will be driven by the hammers toward the:lower side of the drum 26 and will be forced between the wall of thedrum 26 and the peripheries of the circular plates 46 and 54. The firstor leading row 34a of stripper blades 34- is set relatively close to thevertical plane which passes through the shaft 28 so that considerablemomentum may be imparted to the moving cardboard by the hammers 32before the cardboard comes in contact with the blades 34. Stateddifierently, the first row 34a of blades 34 should be spaced asufficient distance from the point of connection of the feed chute 11with the drum 26 to allow the cardboard to achieve a high rate offorward movement before it contacts the blades'34. During the passage ofthe cardboard from the lower end of the feed chute 11 to a positionadjacent the stripper blades 34 at the bottom of the drum 26, anyingress of cardboard to the interior of the cylindrical framework 30 isprevented by the lattice-like arrangement of the bolts 56 and 66 and thecircular plates 54. Moreover, the axially-extending sets of bolts 56, 66and 50, in addition to the plurality of circular plates 54 and the largetubular member 48, all cooperate in providing a rugged supportingframework for the pivoting hammers 32 so that the shock of contact ofthe hammers with the cardboard may be absorbed by the framework 30without vibrational damage resulting.

As the cardboard is driven against the sharpened edges 34d of thestripper blades 34 by the rotating hammers 32, the clearance between thehammers 32 and the sharpened edges 34d of the stripper blades is suchthat both a cutting and shearing action occurs as the hammers passthrough the first row 34a of the blades. I have undertaken to illustratein FIG. 9 the manner in which a piece of cardboard 72 is flaked by thedisintegrating apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8. The blades 34of the first row 34a initially form a plurality of elongated parallelslits 74 in the cardboard 72. The cardboard 72 thus slits 74 in thecardboard 72. The cardboard 72 thus slit is then driven by the hammers32 into the second row 34b of blades 34. Since the second row 34b ofblades 34 is not aligned with the first row 34a, the blades in thesecond row will contact the leading edge of the cardboard 72 at pointswhich are approximately midway between the slits 74 made in thecardboard by the blades of the first row. The blades 34 of the secondrow 34b therefore commence to form slits 76 intermediately between theslits 74 formed by the first row of blades. Simultaneously, theresistance to the forward progress of the cardboard 72 which is offeredby the second row of blades 3412 causes the parallel strips of cardboarddefined by the slits 74 formed by the first row of blades to buckle orraise up slightly away from the wall of the drum 26. At this time thehammers 32 afiixed to the bolt 56 which follows the bolt 56 carrying thefirst hammers to strike the cardboard approach and strike the buckledcardboard 72 adjacent the blades 34 in the second row 34b. This resultsin a severance of the parallel strips defined by the slits 74 and 76made by the blades 34 of the first and second rows 34a and 34b. Thedashed lines 73 designate the transverse shear lines which divide thestrips into flakes. By way of summary, the flattened cardboard isinitially sliced into parallel strips by the first row 34a of blades 34;is then sliced into smaller strips by the second row 34b of blades 34;is simultaneously caused to buckle by the resistance offered by theblades of the second row; and finally is chipped or flaked by atransverse shearing force imparted to the buckled strips by the hammers.

Due to the axial offset of succeeding rows of hammers,

. the chipping or flaking action will be alternating in nature.

By this it is meant that the first hammers 32 to strike the cardboardwill cause a transverse shearing action to take place across every othercardboard strip formed by the first two rows 34a and 34b of blades 34.The next row of hammers 32 will shear across the alternate strips ofcardboard not struck by the first row of hammers 32. This flakingpattern is illustrated in FIG. 9.

The third row 340 of blades 34 performs substantially the same functionas the second row 34b and is utilized to assure that no elongated stripsof cardboard are permitted to pass through the disintegrator withoutbeing reduced to flake form. By virtue of their axial offset from theblades 34 of the second row 34b, the blades in the third row 34c tend tocatch any strips or shreds of cardboard which manage to pass through thesecond row without being flaked. The same buckling action which has beenattributed to the second row 34]; of blades 34 then occurs at the thirdrow 34c, and the hammers shear across such strips as may be retardedthere to complete the flaking action.

In the event that several thicknesses of cardboard should accumulate inadvance of one of the hammers 32 so that a particularly high resistanceis encountered by the hammer as the path of advance of the cardboard isblocked by the blades 34, the hammer is free to yield by virtue of itspivotal mounting upon the bolts 56. It will be apparent that thisconstruction prevents the occurrence of structural damage as a result ofunusually large forces being transmitted to the mechanism throughrigidly mounted hammers.

After the cardboard has been driven through the three rows 34a, 34b and340 of blades 34, it is pushed upwardly along the portion 449 of thebottom wall 38 of the discharge chute 36 by the cardboard which followsits When the flaked cardboard reaches the highest point in. the bottomwall 38 of the discharge chute 36, it passesthereover and slides downthe inclined portion 42 under the influence of gravity. The purpose ofthis bottom- Wall configuration is to prevent the accumulation ofcardboard downstream in the discharge chute 36 and the jamming orblockage of the apparatus which might result therefrom. In other words,the forces imparted to the cardboard by the hammers 32 are sufiicient tourge the. cardboard upwardly over the highest point in the bottom. wall38 of the discharge chute 36, and then gravitational force assures thecontinued movement of the cardboard downwardly into the trough 44. Whenthe flaked cardboard has reached the trough 44, it is picked up by thehelical threads 18 of the auger-type conveyor 16 and is movedtransversely through the housing 10 of the disintegrating apparatus andinto a baling unit 20. The baling unit 20 is then employed to bale theflakedcardboard suitably for shipment.

In some instances, it may be desirable to reduce the number of rows ofblades 34 which must be employed to effect disintegration. This may beaccomplished by changing the shape of the hammers 32 and increasing thespeed of rotation of the framework 30. In such cases the L-shapedhammers illustrated in FIG. 10 are employed. If the foot portions 80b ofthe hammers 80 are made of suflicient length to extend for approximatelythe distance between adjacent blades 34, then it is only necessary touse a single row 34a of blades and all of the hammers around theperiphery of the rotating framework 30 may be axially aligned. Therelationship of the hammers 80 to the blades 34 in this modifiedembodiment is illustrated in FIG. 11.

As the leading edge of the cardboard first comes in contact with theblades 34 in the single row, the cutting action of the blades commencesin the same manner which has previously been explained in referring tothe preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9. However,since the cardboard is moving with increased speed, it is also buckledupwardly by the blades 34 of this row at the same time that it is beingslit. The L-shaped hammers 83* then strike the portion of the cardboardwhich is raised away from the wall of the drum 26 by the bucklingaction. Since the L-shaped hammers 80 are moving at a relatively highspeed, and since the transverse shearing force is directly appliedacross the entire Width of the cardboard strips by the transverselyextending foot portions 8% of the hammers 80, the cardboard will beflaked with each passage of a row of L-shaped hammers through the singlerow 34a of blades 34. It will be apparent that the use of thisembodiment of the invention permits cardboard flakes to be producedwhich are approximately twice the width of the flakes produced inutilizing the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9.

By axially oflsetting the L-shaped hammers 80 about the periphery ofrotating framework 30 in a manner similar to the arrangement of thebar-shaped hammers 32 shown in FIG. 3, and by using two rows 34a and 34bof stripper blades 34, it is possible to produce smaller flakes ofcardboard than those produced by the single blade row embodiment justdescribed. tilt is also possible to thereby reduce the speed at whichthe framework 30 must be rotated. When the L-shaped hammers 80 are thusaxially offset from each other around the periphery of the framework 39,the foot portions 80b of the hammers in succeeding rows extend inopposite directions and are less than half as wide as the foot portions80b depicted in FIG. 10. This arrangement permits the hammers 80 to passfreely through the two staggered rows 34a and 34b of stripper blades 34without fouling. The relationship of the hammers 89 to the blades 34 inthis embodi- 9 ment of the invention is diagrammatically indicated inFIG. 12.

From the foregoing discussion, it will be apparent that the cardboarddisintegrating apparatus of the present invention is of ruggedconstruction and is designed to afford maximum flaking action with aminimum tendency to become blocked or jammed by the accumulation ofcardboard at undesirable locations in the disintegrating apparatus. Therotating framework 39 is ruggedly constructed to withstand theconsiderable vibrational and centrifugal forces which are developedduring the operation of the device and also to prevent the entrance ofcardboard particles into the area adjacent the shafting upon which it ismounted. The hammers and stripper blades are specifically designed andarranged relatively to each other to provide the maximum disintegrationof bulk cardboard with a relatively simple and inexpensive mechanism.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts orelements as heretofore set forth in the specification and shown in thedrawings, it being understood that changes may be made in the preciseembodiment disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for shredding cardboard comprising a hollow, horizontalshredding drum; a downwardly sloping feed chute connected to one side ofsaid drum and communicating with the interior thereof; a discharge chuteconnected at one end of its ends to the opposite side of said drum fromsaid feed chute, said discharge chute having a bottom wall connected atone end to the bottom of said drum and sloping upwardly therefrom for aportion of its length and then sloping downwardly for the remainder ofits length; a first row of bladed plates projecting into said drum fromthe lower side of said drum and aligned parallel to the axis of saiddrum; a second row of bladed plates projecting into said drum from thelower side thereof and aligned parallel to the axis of said drum, saidsecond row of bladed plates being axially offset from said first row ofbladed plates; a third row of bladed plates projecting into said drumfrom the lower side thereof and aligned parallel to the axis of saiddrum; said first row of bladed plates being circumferentially spaced insaid drum from said second and third rows of bladed plates and disposedcloser to a vertical plane passing through the axis of said drum and tosaid feed chute than said second and third rows of plates; a shaftextending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotation therein;a pair of circular end plates coaxially keyed to said shaft in said drumand axially spaced from each other therealong; a tubular memberextending coaxially around said shaft and spacing said end plates fromeach other; a plurality of circular intermediate plates mountedcoaxially on said tubular member and spaced axially therealong from eachot er and from said end plates; said circular plates each having adiameter less than the distance from said shaft to said bladed plates; afirst set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through said platesin equally spaced relation to each other around the peripheries of saidplates; tubular sleeves rotatably carried by each of the bolts of saidfirst set of bolts and disposed between adjacent pairs of said circularplates; bar-shaped hammers each secured at one of their ends to a medialportion of one of said sleeves for rotation about the bolt carrying saidsleeve; a second set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft throughsaid circular plates and disposed radially inward in said circularplates from said first set of bolts by a distance suflicient to permitsaid hammers to clear the bolts of said second set during their rotationabout the bolts of said first set, each bolt of said second set beingequally spaced from the nearest pair of bolts of said first set ofbolts; tubular spacing members surrounding each of the bolts of saidsecond set and uniformly spacing said circular plates from each other;and a third set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through saidcircular plates and disposed radially inward in said circular platesfrom said second set of bolts, each bolt of said third set of boltsbeing radially aligned with a bolt of said first set of bolts.

2. Apparatus for flaking cardboard and the like, comprising aIhorizontal drum; a feed chute communicating with one side of the drumand having a lower wall extending substantially tangentially withrespect to the drum; a shaft journaled along the longitudinal centerlineof the drum; means for rotating the shaft; a generally cylindricalframework secured around the shaft concentrically in the drum; aplurality of hammers pivotally secured to the outer periphery portion ofthe framework in circumferentially-spaced axial rows; a plurality ofstripper blades secured in the lower portion of the drum and extendingbetween the paths of movement of said hammers into proximity with theouter periphery of said framework; and a discharge chute communicatingwith the opposing side of the drum from said feed chute and having abottom wall extending from said drum in a radial direction with respectto said cylindrical framework whereby flaked cardboard will gravitatedown said bottom wall and accumulation of flaked cardboard in said drumis avoided.

3. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like comprising:

a horizontal drum;

a feed chute radially communicating with the interior of said drum;

a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotationtherein;

a generally cylindrical framework mounted concentrically in said drumand coaxialily keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith, saidcylindrical framework comprising a pair of circular end platescoaxia'lly keyed to said shaft and axially spaced from each othertherealong;

a tubular member extending coaxially around said shaft and spacing saidend plates from each other;

a plurality of circular intermediate plates mounted coaxially on saidtubular member and spaced axially therealong from each other and fromsaid end plates;

a first set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through said endand intermediate plates adjacent their peripheries, the bolts of saidfirst set of bolts being equally spaced circumferentially from eachother around the periphery of said plates;

a second set of bolts extending parallel to said shaft through said endand intermediate plates and disposed radially inward of said plates fromsaid first set of bolts; and

a third set of bolts projected through said end plates and extendingparallel to said shaft along the inside of said tubular member so as tobear against the inside surface of said tubular member;

a plurality of hammers pivotally connected to the periphery of saidframework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extending parallelto said shaft along the periphery of said generally cylindricalframework with each row of hammers being circumferentially spacedapproximately from the next adjacent row of hammers;

cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner walls ofthe lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammersduring rotation of said framework to disintegrate said cardboard; and

a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite side ofsaid drum from said feed chute.

1 l 4. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard as claimed in claim 3wherein each of said hammers is pivotally connected at one of its endsto a bolt of said first set of bolts at a point on said bolt betweensaid plates.

5. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like comprising:

a horizontal drum;

a feed chute radially communicating with the interior of said drum;

a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotationtherein;

a generally cylindrical framework mounted concentrically in said drumand coaxially keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith;

a plurality of bar-shaped hammers pivotally connected to the peripheryof said framework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extendingparallel to said shaft along the periphery of said generally cylindricalframework with each row of hammers being circumferentially spacedapproximately 90 hem the next adjacent row of hammers and the hammers ineach of said rows being axially offset from the hammers in the nextadjacent rows, said framework being radially recessed to permit each ofsaid hammers to pivot through 360 about its pivotal axis;

cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner wall ofthe lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammersduring rotation of said framework to disintegrate said cardboard; and

a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite side ofsaid drum from said feed chute and having a bottom wall extendingdownwardly from said drum in a radial direction with respect to saidgenerally cylindrical framework whereby disintegrated cardboarddischarged from said drum will gravitate down said bottom wall and avoidaccumulation within said drum.

6. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like comprising:

a horizontal drum;

a feed chute radially communicating with the interior of said drum;

a shaft extending coax-ially through said drum and mounted for rotationtherein;

a generally cylindrical framework mounted concentrically in said drumand coaxially keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith;

a plurality of L-shaped hammers pivotally connected to the periphery ofsaid framework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extendingparallel to said shaft along the periphery of said genermly cylindricalframework with each row of hammers being circumferentially spacedapproximately 90 from the next adjacent row of hammers and the hammersin each of said rows being axially offset from the hammers in the nextadjacent rows;

cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner walls ofthe lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammersduring rotation of said framework to disintegrate the cardboard;

and

a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite side ofsaid drum from said feed chute.

of said drum;

a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted for rotationtherein;

a generally cylindrical framework mounted concentrically in said drumand coaxially keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith;

a plurality of hammers pivotally connected to the periphery of saidframework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extending parallelto said shaft along the periphery of said generally cylindricalframeworkwith each row of hammers being circumferentially spaced aproximatelyfrom the next adjacent rows of hammers;

cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the inner wall ofthe lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with said hammersduring rotation of said framework to disintegrate said card board;

a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite side ofsaid drum from said feed chute and having a bottom wall connected at oneend to the bottom of said drum and sloping upwardly therefrom for aportion of its length then sloping downwardly for the remainder of itslength;

a helically grooved auger conveyor connected to said discharge chute forconveying said cardboard from said discharge chute; and

a motor connected to said shaft for driving said shaft and saidgenerally cylindrical framework rotatably in said drum.

8. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard and the like comprising:

(a) a horizontal drum;

(1;) a feed chute radially communicating with the interior of said drum;

(0) a shaft extending coaxially through said drum and mounted forrotation therein;

(d) a generally cylindrical framework mounted concentrically in saiddrum and coaxially keyed to said shaft for rotation therewith;

(e) a plurality of hammers pivotally connected to the periphery of saidframework, said hammers being arranged in four rows extending parallelto said shaft along the periphery of said generally cylindricalframework with each row of hamrners being circumferentially spacedapproximately 90 from the next adjacent row of hammers;

(1') cutting means projecting upwardly and inwardly from the irner wallof the lower side of said drum and adapted to cooperate with saidhammers during rotation of said framework to disintegrate saidcardboard, said cutting means comprising three circumferentially-spacedrows of blades extending parallel to the axis of said drum, each of saidblades being offset axially from said hammers a sufficient distance topermit said hammers to pass between said blades during rotation of saidframework, and the row of said blades which is located most proximatelywith respect to said feed chute being disposed closer to a verticalplane containing the axis of said drum than are the remaining rows ofsaid blades, the blades in the centrally located of said rows beingaxially offset from the blades in the other of said rows; and

(g) a discharge chute connected at one of its ends to the opposite sideof said drum from said feed chute.

9. Apparatus for disintegrating cardboard as claimed in claim 8 whereinsaid blades each comprise a right trapezoidal plate disposed in a planeextending normal to the axis of said drum, each of said blades havingthe longer of its two parallel sides attached to the inner wall of saiddrum and having its longest side most proximately located with respectto said feed chute and tapered to a cutting edge.

10. Apparatus for shredding cardboard as claimed in claim 9 wherein thelongest side of each of said blades located in the rows disposed mostproximately and most distally with respect to said feed chute is taperedto a cutting edge in a direction opposite to the direction of taper ofthe longest edge of each of the remainder of said blades, and whereinthe axial offset of said hammers and said blades with respect to eachother is such that two of said hammers pass closely adjacent the cuttingedge of each of said blades during each rotation of said framework.

11. Apparatus for flaking cardboard and the like comprising:

(a) a horizontal drum;

(b) a feed chute communicating with one side of the drum and having alower wall extending substantially tangentially with respect to thedrum;

(c) a shaft journaled along the longitudinal centerline of the drum;

(d) means for rotating the shaft;

(e) a generally cylindrical framework secured around the shaftconcentrically in the drum;

(f) a plurality of hammers pivotally secured to the outer peripheralportion of the framework in circumferentially-spaced, axial rows;

(g) a plurality of stripper blades secured in the lower portion of thedrum and extending between the paths of movement of said hammers intoproximity with the outer periphery of said framework;

(11) a discharge chute communicating with the opposite side of the drumfrom said feed chute; and

(i) an insert across the lower wall of said feed chute adjacent thepaths of movement of said hammers and having its upper surface slopingin a direction toward the paths of movement of said hammers to guidecardboard from said feed chute into contact with said hammers.

12. Apparatus for flaking cardboard and the like comprising:

(a) a horizontal drum;

(b) a feed chute communicating With one side of the drum and having alower wall extending substantially tangentially with respect to thedrum;

() a shaft journaled along the longitudinal centerline of the drum;

(d) means for rotating the shaft;

(e) a generally cylindrical framework the shaft concentrically in thedrum;

(f) a plurality of hammers pivotally secured to the outer peripheralportion of the framework in circumferentially-spaced, axial rows;

(g) a plurality of stripper blades secured in the lower portion of thedrum and extending between the paths of movement of said hammers intoproximity with secured around 14 the outer periphery of said framework,said stripper blades being arranged in two rows extending parallel withsaid shaft, with the blades in said rows offset axially along the lengthof said drum; and

(h) a discharge chute communicating with the opposite side of the drumfrom said feed chute.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the hammers in alternaterows of said hammers pass closer to the blades in one of said rows ofblades than the other row of blades, and wherein the hammers in theremaining rows of hammers pass closer to the blades in the other row ofblades than to the blades in said one row.

14. Apparatus for flaking cardboard and the like comprising:

(a) ahorizontal drum;

(b) a feed chute communicating with one side of the drum and having alower wall extending substantially tangentially with respect to thedrum;

(c) a shaft journaled along the longitudinal centerline of the drum;

(d) means for rotating the shaft;

(e) a generally cylindrical framework secured around the shaftconcentrically in the drum;

(1'') a plurality of hammers pivotally secured in the outer peripheralportion of the framework in circurnferentially-spaced, axial rows, saidframework having radial apertures therein to permit said hammers torotate through 360 about their pivotal axes;

(g) a plurality of stripper blades secured in the lower portion of thedrum and extending between the paths of movement of said hammers intoproximity with the outer periphery of said framework; and

(h) a discharge chute communicating with the opposite side of the drumfrom said feed chute.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

2. APPARATUS FOR FLAKING CARDBOARD AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A HORIZONTALDRUM; A FEED CHUTE COMMUNICATING WITH ONE SIDE OF THE DRUM AND HAVING ALOWER WALL EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TANGENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THEDRUM; A SHAFT JOURNALED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL CENTERLINE OF THE DRUM;MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SHAFT; A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL FRAMEWORK SECUREDAROUND THE SHAFT CONCENTRICALLY IN THE DRUM; A PLURALITY OF HAMMERSPIVOTALLY SECURED TO THE OUTER PERIPHERY PORTION OF THE FRAMEWORK INCIRCUMFERENTIALLY-SPACED AXIAL ROWS; A PLURALITY OF STRIPPER BLADESSECURED IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DRUM AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE PATHSOF MOVEMENT OF SAID HAMMERS INTO PROXIMITY WITH THE OUTER PERIPHERY OFSAID FRAMEWORK; AND A